Aspen Leading Edge

Judge Xavier Rodriguez discusses the different AI and legal research tools emerging in the profession as well as the importance of proofreading AI results. He also shares the evolution of technology in the courtroom such as cell phone evidence and disappearing apps.

Elizabeth Schmidt of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Allen Madison of the University of South Dakota discuss the fourth edition of their coursebook, Nonprofit Law: The Life Cycle of a Charitable Organization. They share updates to the book and discuss how nonprofit law has changed. There is also discussion about OpenAI's transition from nonprofit to for-profit status and what that coul...

Dean Usha Rodrigues of the University of Georgia School of Law reflects on her first year as law school dean. She discusses her vision for the law school, emphasizing the importance of excellence and access in legal education. Dean Rodrigues highlights the school's commitment to producing well-rounded graduates and the exciting developments in admissions and programs, including a focus on sports l...

Dean Mark Alexander, Villanova University, reflects on ten years as a dean and his time as president of the Association of American Law Schools. He also discusses the Building Bridge Initiative at Villanova, which highlights two perspectives on specific topics and underscores the importance of civil discourse. Dean Alexander also speaks about having Pope Leo XIV as an alum.

Lisa Lerman, Columbus School of Law, Philip Schrag, Georgetown Law, and Robert Rubinson, University of Baltimore, discuss the seventh edition of their casebook, Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law. They share an example of a problem found in the book and how they incorporate polling into their Professional Responsibility class. They also share details on the newly expanded section on governmen...

Veronica Finkelstein, Wilmington University, and Kristin Walker, Syracuse University, discuss the first edition of their coursebook, Case Closed: A Practical Guide to Mastering Pretrial Advocacy. They share the importance of including case files and how the text differs from NITA. They talk about how they kept the NextGen Bar Exam in mind when creating the exercises in the book.   

Joseph William Singer, Harvard Law School, and Eduardo Peñalver, President of Seattle University and soon-to-be President of Georgetown University. They explore the evolution of the book Property Law: Rules, Policies and Practices, its unique approach to teaching property law, and the integration of statutes and social issues into legal education. The conversation also touches on the future of leg...

Donald Langevoort, Georgetown Law, Ann Lipton, Colorado Law, and Patrick Corrigan, University of Notre Dame, discuss the eleventh edition of their Securities Regulation casebook. They discuss the constant changes in the field and how Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are handled under securities regulation. They also share their thoughts on how the field is on a global scale.

Peter Oh, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, discusses the first edition of his casebook, Corporate Law and Governance: Principles and Practice. He shares how the book balances featuring Fortune 500 companies and small businesses, as well as the evolving landscape of ESG and DEI initiatives.

Erwin Chemerinsky, UC Berkeley Law, and Laurie Levenson, Loyola Law School, discuss updates to the fifth edition of Criminal Procedure. They share their thoughts on why the subject is taught inconsistently across the country and how their casebook can be adapted to any course structure.

Chris Chapman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AccessLex Institute, discusses the reconciliation bill that caps federal student loan interest rates and shares how some schools are working to make law school affordable and accessible. Chris also shares the multiple focus areas and resources AccessLex provides.  

Alejandro Zeind, UNAM School of Law, Antonio Zeind, UNAM School of Law, and Erica Schommer, St. Mary’s University School of Law, discuss their recent book, Migration: A Binational Perspective for Mexico and the U.S. They share the story of how the book came together and the importance of collaborating with their students.

Margaret Hu, William & Mary Law School, discusses her new casebook, AI Law and Policy. She shares the primary stress points of AI and the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. Margaret also shares how national security will be affected by AI.

Rachel Anderson, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law, shares her experience in international law and offers advice for anyone considering pursuing international business transactions. Rachel also provides details about her first-edition casebook, International, Transnational, and Comparative Business Transactions.

Stephen Thaman discusses the first edition of his casebook, Criminal Procedure: A Comparative Approach, and shares the importance of examining the criminal process across different countries. He also talks about the importance of having engaging professors and students.

Elizabeth Kronk Warner, Dean of the University of Utah College of Law, shares updates on the law school, including a new Mental Health Legal Clinic, which will be in partnership with the Huntsman Mental Health Institute’s Crisis Care Center and the upcoming Undergraduate minor in Legal Studies. She also shares what the AALS Dean Steering Committee, where she is chair, has been up to.

Stephen Yeazell, UCLA, Joanna Schwartz, UCLS, and Maureen Carroll, University of Michigan Law School, discuss the twelfth edition of Civil Procedure and what new updates have been made to make the text more readable. They also share their thoughts on current events in Civil Procedure and how they are incorporating it into the classroom.

Mark Geistfeld, of NYU Law, discusses the third edition of his casebook, Product Liability Law in the Age of AI, which highlights new problems and cases related to artificial intelligence. He discusses specific cases related to Amazon Marketplace, video games, social media, and self-driving vehicles, such as Waymo.

Richard Moberly, Dean of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Law, reflects on the past ten years as dean, including the new strategic plan. He also discusses the Rural Law Opportunities Program, which will encourage undergraduate students to pursue law and, in return, practice in one of the many rural areas in Nebraska.

Amy Schmitz, The Ohio State University, and Janet Martinez, Stanford Law School, talk about the first edition of their coursebook Digital Dispute System Design: Using Technology in Preventing and Resolving Conflicts. They share some examples of case studies included in the book and explain why it is essential for professors to incorporate technology into their courses.

Hari Osofsky, Northwestern University, reflects on her time as dean and her future plans, including the Rule of Law Global Academic Partnership and the newly announced Energy Innovation Lab. 

Sara Berman, USC Gould School of Law, talks about her experience in lawyering skills, academic success, and bar success. She also discusses the importance of critical reading and how reading with three senses will be the most effective tool.

Alena Allen, Dean of Louisiana State University Law Center, reflects on her first two years leading the institution and shares her vision for its future. She discusses her passion for mentoring lawyers who aspire to become law professors and offers practical advice on entering academia. Dean Allen also highlights LSU’s robust clinical offerings, including business law and income tax clinics, and e...

Garfield AI is the first SRA-regulated AI legal services firm. Phillip Young, co-founder of Garfield AI, discusses the company's origins and its focus on small debt claims, helping small businesses recover outstanding invoices. He also shares some differences between the U.S. and the U.K. legal systems.

Ben Cooper, University of Mississippi School of Law, and Michael Cassidy, Boston College School of Law, discuss the third edition of Professional Responsibility in Focus and what updates they have made. They also share their thoughts on the relationship between AI and professional responsibility, including aspects of billing, disclosure, and privacy.